Dakota's Corner

Everyone in the world has dreams, but as the saying goes, dreams don’t work unless you do. You can’t just go to bed at night and hope that you will wake up as a top notch athlete. If this were the case, the athletes that believe in magic would be spending their time sleeping and getting an edge on their competition. You can’t just wish to become a great athlete. You have to earn the title of a great athlete. There is no magic formula to becoming great. No secret potion, or magic pill will make you become a great athlete. The way you become a great athlete is by taking advantage of getting better in the off-season. An off-season starts when your sport season ends. The more you accomplish in the off-season the better of a sports season you will have.My amazing friend, Austin Shupp, has wowed me a plethora of times over the past three years. From scoring incredible goals in soccer, to running blazing times in track, I knew that he was special. He is of course very physically gifted. He was born to be a runner. However, he would not even be close to the runner he is today if it were not for the countless hours of hard work spent perfecting his craft. When Austin first came to Kerri, he told her that he wanted to become a state champion. He proved that he not only could talk the talk, but he could walk the walk. It isn’t as easy as saying you want to be a champion. You have to believe that you can become a champion. He was determined to do whatever it took to make his dream come true. He trained in the summer during the off-season leading into his senior year. He attended cross train classes and speed & agility classes. He would go to the Lehighton track and run hurdles by himself. He trained like a champion. He made every opportunity count. He also knew that he needed to eat like a champion as well. He took time to make sure he ate nutritiously because he knew the importance of fueling his body properly. When he wasn’t working out, he was recovering by foam rolling, stretching, and taking yoga classes. The point is that Austin gave up many hours in the summer during the off-season to make his dream become a reality. I sometimes hear people say that they don’t have the time to do this or that. And I say no, you have the time, but you need to make the time. With excellence comes sacrifice, so ask yourself, what are you willing to sacrifice to become a great athlete? Can you sacrifice sleeping in? Can you sacrifice a few late nights with friends? Can you sacrifice some afternoons going to the pool? What are you willing to do to become a great athlete?Some athletes have trouble getting to the gym to become a great athlete because they play multiple sports. Austin played soccer, but throughout his senior high school season, he still trained at the gym to maintain his strength and speed he worked vigorously on throughout the summer. After 2 hour soccer practices, he could’ve went home to lay on the couch and relax, but instead he got to the gym and WORKED.Anyone that walks through the front door has an opportunity to become the best version of them self, so don’t waste the opportunity! I regret not training sooner in my life, because I did not know what I was capable of. I am not a natural athlete, but because I wasn’t one meant I didn’t believe I could ever be one. I learned that I can become a champion at what I set my mind to! Today, I can do things I never ever could have imagined I was able to do. No one ever told me that I had this potential. Knowing what I know now is nice, but it is too late. My high school sport career is long gone, but I know I have a chance to mold and save young athletes. I also know that I have different athletic opportunities even after my high school career. I believe in every single athlete if he or she shows determination, courage, and will. It isn’t easy to face adversity and fail. Believe it or not, I’ve seen Austin fail multiple times. What makes him great is that he isn’t afraid to fail. He has the mentality of a winner. He doesn’t let failure get the best of him. When he hits the wall he busts it down. My goal is to let all the student athletes know that they are capable of being better than what they think is possible, and that it is okay to be themselves!Dedicated Fitness is proven to be successful by producing elite athletes. Summer camp this year is going to be better than ever before. Our coaches are energized to train and teach. The time is now to become a great athlete. Don’t wait any longer. You can’t get any day back, so take the initiative to get better. It is now, during the off-season when champions are made. So ask yourself, what will you do with your summer and your off-season?If you have any stories or comments about this blog post, I would love to hear them! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at dakota@dedicatedfit.com or if you see me in the gym, don't be afraid to stop me! I hope to see you at the gym this summer!

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Dakota Strohl

Contact DakotaHello, I am a trainer at Dedicated Fitness and I am currently a student at Lebanon Valley College. I am working toward a doctorate of physical therapy. I specialize in running form, speed & agility, and cross train workouts. Although these are my specialities, I really enjoy Olympic lifting and power lifting.